AHB RAF Narratives, Center for Air Power Studies

[Mikkel Plannthin]

Trying to locate Air Historical Branch, RAF Narrative: The Campaigns in the Far East, Vol 5 Air Supply Operations in Burma 1942-1945, I realised that the Centre for Air Power Studies has to first two volumes available on-line, cf. http://www.airpowerstudies.com/historicalsources.htm

Does anyone know if the remaining 4 (of 6) volumes are to be made available by CAPS, or if its just to promote the publications on the part of their partner MLRS Books?

Regards

Mikkel

[Oldduffer]

Don't know the answer but I (think) I know a man (or woman) who does.

Give DORIS a call at the RAF Museum and they might have a copy for you to examine if in London. The AHB(RAF) at RAF Notholt will also be able to advise you where a copy can be researched. If all else fails there might be a copy in the NA.

Sorry that's a bit vague but it's the best I can offer.

Old Duffer

[Mikkel Plannthin]

Thank you for the hints. I know it can be obtained via MLRS Books for £ 10, but I did not want to by it right away a) because I do not know ot it is to any use to me, 2) because I am trying to keep this very expensive hobby of mine as cheap as possible (£ 10 = 1/2 years ORB from NA :-) ).

Mikkel

[SteveBrooking]

Mikkel

It is probably not much of a solution for you in Denmark but all these studies are available at Kew in Air 41 and the one you want is AIR41/37. I don't know the relationship between AHB and MLRS but in my view the MLRS books are straight reprints of the original AIR41 document.

If you know the 3 volume official history "RAF 1939-45" by Denis Richards and Hillary St G Saunders then my understanding is that was written from all these separate monographs.

I have had a fairly serious look at some of them the main advantage I find is that they set out the overall Air Staff/policy context very helpfully and relate that to the broader context of the War. I have found it difficult to track these issues myself through the files at Kew. One monograph "Struggle for Air Supremacy Vol 5 ADGB 1942-45" I found especially helpful really quite detailed and with lots of references to the original AM files that had been used and which can be found at Kew but others seem much more general in their presentation to me.

The MLRS books do seem expensive for what is essentially a bound photocopy

Steve

[Mikkel Plannthin]

Thank you, Steve, for this explanation.

Mikkel

[Mark Hood]

Regarding the AHB Narratives in AIR 41.

It is likely that the Department of Research (DORIS) at the RAF Museum will hold them. Because I was talking about RAF aircraft casualties with balloon cables with Curators and they appear to have copies of some AHB Narratives, as the RAF Museum produced a copy of the AHB Narrative relating to RAF balloons on a visit recently, which is also held at TNA, Kew.

Unfortunately in my particular case the claimed GAF aircraft losses to balloon collisions were listed very very briefly by date with little information, but the numerous RAF aircraft casualties were not listed whatsoever. Other files at TNA have to be searched for casualties.

Therefore, the AIR 41 Narratives I have seen mainly deal with Policy type information only, but still useful for general information.

I came across the Centre for Air Power Studies page with links to documents online, whilst searching for a specfic AP number recently, but I did not retain the link. The AHB (RAF) should be able to give you the link, as I noticed Mr S. Cox their Head was also linked to the Centre for Air Power Studies.

Mark